


A Beach to Walk On

by Stregatrek



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: M/M, Oh my god they were quarantined, discussions of retirement, life goes on even when things are... less than ideal, mostly just old married spirk here folks, nothing graphic, pandemic briefly mentioned, sappy romance, this went a different direction than I thought
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:35:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23239315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stregatrek/pseuds/Stregatrek
Summary: Jim and Spock discuss life while stuck in quarantine during shore leave
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock
Comments: 9
Kudos: 48





	A Beach to Walk On

“This looks like it’s getting pretty nasty,” Jim said, muting the planet-wide broadcast system. “We’d better call Starfleet.”  


“Agreed.” Spock said, retrieving his communicator. “The _Enterprise _will be out of range for three more of this planet’s days, but we should be able to reach Deep Space Two.”  
__

__“Very well,” Jim said, and Spock handed over the communicator. “Kirk to Deep Space Two.”  
_ _

__“Starfleet here,” the communicator crackled after a moment. “Captain Kirk, can you boost your gain? We’re barely receiving you.”  
_ _

__Jim fiddled with the communicator a moment. “How’s that, Starfleet?”  
_ _

__Much steadier this time, the voice came back. “Better, thank you, Captain. This is Lieutenant Perez. What can Deep Space Two do for you?”  
_ _

__The Captain cleared his throat and glanced at Spock. “Captain Spock and myself are taking shore leave on Tiburon, and a disease has been circulating these past few weeks. The local authorities are declaring a pandemic and instating planet-wide quarantine.”  
_ _

__Lieutenant Perez paused a beat. “I see. Captain, do you require assistance?”  
_ _

__“Not at the moment. We’re well stocked here, and the planet has plenty of protocols in place for dealing with an outbreak of this nature. I would appreciate it if you’d have a science ship sent to offer whatever aid we can, and let the _Enterprise _know that we may not be ready for our pick-up on time.”  
___ _

___“Not a problem, sir. Checking the docks, it looks like we can spare the _La Flesche Picotte _for some time. I’ll confirm that and comm you back. Will relay your delay to _Enterprise _as well, sir. Anything else I can help you with?”  
_____ _ _

___Jim smiled. “Thank you, Lieutenant Perez, that’ll be all for now. Kirk out.” He set the communicator on the table and turned off the broadcast system. “Well, here we are, alone in a lovely villa on a beautiful planet… What do you propose we do, Mr. Spock?”  
_ _ _

___“I can think of several things with which to occupy ourselves.” Spock said, offering a hand in the ohz’esta.  
_ _ _

___Jim touched his fingers to Spock’s, stepping closer to his husband with a smile. “I’m sure I follow. And… I think I can add to your list, Mr. Spock.”  
_ _ _

___“I do not doubt that, Jim. You are quite a dynamic individual.”  
_ _ _

___Jim smirked, laying a hand on Spock’s chest as he reached up for a kiss. “Is that what the kids are calling it these days.”  
_ _ _

___Their lips met before Spock could answer, and it was quite some time before their conversation resumed.  
_ _ _

___Jim looked up at Spock from where he was lying with his head on the Vulcan’s bony collarbone. “I wish there was something we could do to help.”  
_ _ _

___“Federation aid is on its way, ashayam, and in any case we are but two offworlders. The odds are approximately equal that this planet’s disease should be harmless or deadly to us. In either case, our immune systems may also prove breeding ground for a strain more impactful to the planet’s populace. It is in the best interest of all concerned that we remain isolated.”  
_ _ _

___“You make good points, Spock. I suppose there’s nothing for me to do but stay inside… With my gorgeous Vulcan husband, no less.” Jim smirked and pressed a kiss to Spock’s shoulder. “It’s just a feeling I’ve been getting a lot, lately. That I should be able to do more than I am,”  
_ _ _

___“I think, Captain, that perhaps that is the lesson to take from this experience. It is not always our time to help. There are times at which the most we can do is offer aid with no expectation of the offer being taken up. Neither of us are versed in immunology or the biology of this planet. They are solving their problems on their own; this disease, technical problems. Diplomatic issues,”  
___

___“I suspect you... aren’t _just _talking about this planet now, Mr. Spock.”  
___ _ _

___“Indeed I am not, Jim.”  
_ _ _

___Feeling the brush of a thought from his t’hy’la’s mind, Jim’s mouth twisted. “Retirement, Spock?”  
_ _ _

___“It does seem logical.” Spock propped himself on an elbow to look properly at Jim, reaching for his bondmate’s hair with his free hand. “We are both lucky to have lived to see retirement,” he said lowly, carding his fingers through Jim’s graying curls.  
_ _ _

___“Luck, Spock?” Jim’s eyes danced and he tilted his head into Spock’s caress, mind awash with love.  
_ _ _

___“I find that, over the years, you have… persuaded me to its existence.”  
_ _ _

___Jim lifted Spock’s hand to his mouth to kiss his knuckles. “Have I, now? Well, that ought to be enough of an accomplishment for a lifetime…”  
_ _ _

___“Jim. You have accomplished much more than that in your lifetime. If you have forgotten, I can list your major successes in either chronological or alphabetical order.” One of Spock’s eyebrows lifted, and Jim smiled. There was an expression he’d seen more than any other, and it made him smile every time even still.  
_ _ _

___He sighed. “I suppose we are getting to that age where it’s… expected that we hand over the reigns to the younger folks, let them ruin things for a while.”  
_ _ _

___“Jim,” Spock admonished gently. “I do not need to tell you, k’diwa, that change is an essential process of existence. The era in which we made the decisions that shaped the galaxy- our missions, diplomacy, research, indeed every choice a starship command team makes- is coming to a close. There are other competent commanders assigned to new and different ships. This may be an incomprehensible thing, or a frightening one. But it is not _bad _. It is simply our turn to help quietly, in our own ways and in our own communities.”___ _ _

___Jim sighed. “You’re right, of course, Mr. Spock. The time for a bow and exiting left from the galactic stage comes for us all. But sometimes I just look at things the way Scotty looks at the _Excelsior _. Why is their new way better than our old way?”___ _ _

___“Why is our old way better than their new way?” Spock countered gently, and Jim laughed.  
_ _ _

___Resting his head against Spock’s chest once more, he traced patterns on the Vulcan’s pale shoulder with his fingertips. “You’re right, of course, Spock. They’re solving problems we never solved. Probably making a few of their own, too, but... I can hardly say we never did that. Worlds are still turning. Flowers still bloom. Birds still sing. New ones every season- you’re right, Spock. Change… is the only thing we can really count on. And I suppose it’s not all bad.”  
_ _ _

___“I am glad you agree, ashayam. On the matter of our retirement…”  
_ _ _

___Jim lifted himself up to kiss Spock properly, taking time to savor the feel of his lips. “I’ll think about it, Mr. Spock.” He lowered himself to Spock’s chest once more. “Would you really quit the Academy?”  
_ _ _

___“Yes, Jim. I find that for the time, I am content to simply be with you. Existing alongside you is… one of the simplest and most important things I have done in my lifetime.”  
_ _ _

___Jim smiled. “You silver-tongued Vulcan.” It was so good to hear things like that, he reflected to himself. During their first five-year mission, declarations of friendship had to be dragged out of Spock with more effort than even wild horses could ever manage. He felt Spock’s amusement through their bond and responded with a brush of the loving glow he couldn’t help but feel cocooned in, lying there so completely alone with his soulmate. His t’hyla. “You know… I suppose I could get used to this feeling. Wouldn’t mind having a little more of it.”  
_ _ _

___Spock gathered him in his arms and held him tightly. “I am glad to hear it, ashayam.”  
_ _ _

___“Do you think they’d let me go part-time? Maybe teach a class at the Academy?  
_ _ _

___“I think it is certainly worth asking.”  
_ _ _

___Jim stifled a snort of laughter in Spock’s shoulder. “D’you- do you think they’d let me redesign the Kobayashi Maru?”  
_ _ _

___“I doubt it,” Spock responded drily.  
_ _ _

___“Ah, well. Someone else will have to take up that mantle. I think maybe… it’s time to sit back and watch the worlds turn. Stars be born and die. You think we could take a stellar cruise through a nice nebula sometime? And… I wouldn’t mind a beach to walk on.”  
_ _ _

___Spock kissed his forehead. “If that is what you desire, k’diwa.”  
_ _ _

___“I think it would be nice,”  
_ _ _

___“I would categorize all time spent with you as nice,”  
_ _ _

___Jim smiled. Still idiots in love, after all these years, he thought, and Spock responded by arching an eyebrow. Jim kissed him. Yes, the galaxy would go on. And for just a little while, they would be here, out of space and time, as alone together as two people could hope to be amid all the stars with all their planets, all the worlds turning, civilizations learning and growing across the sky. And flowers blooming, and birds singing. Beaches to walk on.  
_ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know, folks. I just don't know. Sometimes I'm socially distanced and I get sad and then I make myself happy again thinking about community and flowers and the fact that life is going to go on here and elsewhere presumably indefinitely because life... uh... finds a way


End file.
